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HISTORY 



OF THE 



WOODBINE COLONY 




<By ALBERT CURET, Jr. 



PUBLISHED BY 

THE WOODBINE CHILDREN'S CLOTHING CO. 

WOODBINE, N. J. 
PhfUdelphia New York City Chtcaro 



COPTRIOHTED 1910 

• T THE WOODBINE CHItDREfl'S CLOTMIMG CO. 



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HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



(0:CI.A259935 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




THE BARON De HIRSCH AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL 



" Maccabaus, 
Outcasts are we, and fugitives as thou art, 
Jews of Jerusalem, that have escaped 
From fhe polluted city, and from deaf/i. ' 



—LONGFELLOW. 



GRATITUDE — who understands its meaning;? Those 
who have been brought by some kind hand, to enjoy better 
things, to see life in a brighter light, and to live it on a higher 
plane ; whose hearts well up within them in thanksgiving for 
the blessings bestowed, are the ones who understand the mean- 
ing of the word ** gratitude/' 

So one finds the people of the Woodbine Colony. And 
why? 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




De HIRSCH HALL 

Look for one moment at the lot of these people in the past^ 
and then look upon their now happy life^ full of contentment 
and fraught with opportunities that they little dreamed of ever 
enjoyingf on this earth. 

Driven by cruel oppression, that in many cases meant mas- 
sacre or a living: death, to the shores of a new and unknown 
land, among a people of a strange tongue ; to find their ways 
into the crowded cities and settle in the ''Ghettos;'^ there to 
work out a miserable existence in the ** sweat-shops,*' where 
disease and immorality sapped their physical and spiritual 
vitality. Such was the condition of most of the people who now 
form the Woodbine Colony. 



HISTORY OF THE W O O D B I N E ' C O L O N Y 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



At Woodbine the scene changes; here one finds a most 
progressive, patriotic, prosperous and contented Americanized 
citizen, whose eyes are bright, whose heart is light, whose body 
is rugged and healthy, and whose mind is clear and clean. 
Here they find employment under the most favorable conditions, 
working and living in an open country where plenty of God's 
free sunshine and air plays about them; invigorating and 
strengthening the body and mind; enabling them to perform 
their daily tasks without the hardships of former days. 

No wonder the hearts of the people of Woodbine turn with 
gratitude to the memory of Baron de Hirsch, who set aside a 
large portion of his vast wealth as a fund for the uplift of 
humanity. No wonder they look upon their little city with 




HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



Ti — \m 




WORKINGMEN'S HOMES 

love and patriotic pride, when such happiness and comforts have 
been made possible for them to enjoy. 

In Augfust, \S9lf when the cruel oppression upon the Rus- 
sian and Roumanian Jews had forced thousands of refugees to 
seek homes within the borders of this free and enlightened land, 
the Trustees of the Baron de Hirsch Fund laid the foundation 
of the Woodbine Colony. 

Woodbine is located in the Southeastern part of New Jersey, 
in Cape May County; 57 miles from Philadelphia, 6 miles 
from the sea and 3 miles from the Delaware Bay. The climatic 
conditions are delightful ; situated, as it is, right in the Pine Belt 
of New Jersey and swept by ocean breezes, make Woodbine a 
most healthful place to live. 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



The Trustees of the Fund left by the Baron de Hirsch^ are 
fostering the Colony at Woodbine^ with the view of improving 
the general condition of the Hebrews and others, by taking them 
out of the ^' Ghettos'^ and congested, cramped and unhealthy 
quarters of the large cities and colonizing them under conditions 
that are elevating and enlightening ; also to afford employment 
that would enable them to become useful, self-sustaining and 
self-respecting, independent home-owners. 

A tract containing about 5300 acres of barren land was 
purchased with the intention of dividing it into small farms of 
30 acres each, and to settle as many families as would like to 
maintain themselves by the healthy and honorable occupation 




ONE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




FACTORY BUILDING— THE WOODBINE CHILDREN'S CLOTHING CO. 

of farming. A farm of 30 acres in this part of tlic country, used 
for truck raising, will yield a yearly income of from $600 to 
$700. 

During the first year twenty-five families started the work 
of clearing away the ground; since then hundreds of acres have 
been cleared off and are now prosperous farms, producing thous- 
ands of dollars worth of crops yearly. A ready market is found 
for the farms' products in the nearby towns. 

The steady influx of people soon made it apparent that 
those for whom the enterprise was started, fully realized the ad- 
vantages to be gained by a life under such ideal conditions ; it 
also made it apparent that instead of an entirely farming district, 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



a large town would shortly occupy the site, and that all pursuits 
of commercial life would be found at Woodbine. 

No wonder the traveller, who saw the Woodbine site 20 
years agfo, now holds his breath at the sight of the wonderful 
growth of the town. The complete transformation of a stretch 
of barren land into a well-cultivated farming district and a pros- 
perous, industrious town, with a thorough Municipal Govern- 
ment, Public Schools, Churches and a number of large indus- 
trial enterprises, with payrolls amounting to over $300,000.00 
annually. 

The wide, well-kept streets, lined with stately trees, illumin- 
ated at night by electric lights ; pretty little homes with beauti- 
ful gardens, that are rich and fragrant with an abundant growth 




BUSINESS AND PRIVATE OFFICES OF 
THE WOODBINE CHILDREN'S CLOTHING CO. 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




PIECE QOODS DEPARTMENT 

of flowers; well cultivated vegetable gardens and spacious lawns, 
are to be seen on every hand. 

In J 894 the Baron de Hirsch Agricultural School was opened, 
with the object of teaching an intelligent and practical course 
in scientific farming, thus preparing the young men of the 
colony to go out into the world equipped with a knowledge 
that would make them independent citizens wherever they 
should settle. 

Every imaginable facility for teaching agriculture, in all its 
branches on a scientific and practical basis, has been installed 
here. How well this enterprise has performed its work is best 
told by the fact that over 400 young men have been graduated 
and are now located in all parts of the country, engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits, and in many cases paying for their own farms. 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



The education of the young; was not neglected for a single 
moment, and has been advanced from the first one-room school, 
until to-day there are Four Public Schools, with \6 teachers; a 
Kindergarten School (the first one in Cape May County) , and 
a Hebrew School. Woodbine is justly proud of the largest school 
building in Cape May County, outside of Cape May City ; the 
average daily attendance is 600 children. The whole school 
system is under the direction of a Board of Education, elected by 
the people. 

Woodbine has not stood still a single moment ; the people 
are in love with the town and are progressive. There are seven 
large factories, one agricultural school, four public schools, three 
churches, one free library, a town hall, many stores, a thoroughly 
equipped fire department, and a public bath house, but no jail. 




PIECE aOODS AND TRIMMINGS DEPARTMENT 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




EXAMINING AND SPONGING DEPARTMENT 

The population has grown to over 3500 souls ; a more 
thrifty, happy and contented lot of people would be hard to find. 

These conditions have successfully combined Philanthropy 
and Business. The people here find ideal employment and their 
environments are elevating: to a deg^ree that would be impossible 
in any large city. They become enthusiastic , patriotic citizens. 

One of the attractive features of Woodbine, is the ease 
with which the people become owners of their homes. Many 
of the workingmen own their homes, and started by a cash pay- 
ment of as little as $25.00. A house of 5 or 6 rooms, with a 
porch, is erected on a lot 50 x J 50 feet, the land being charged 
in at a very low figure. After the first payment, the balance 
is secured by mortgage at 4% interest. Monthly payments are 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 

then arranged to suit the purchaser, and range from $3.50 to 
$7*00 per month. 

Every home has its bath-room ; is lighted by electric lights 
and is heated by steam heat, furnished from a central plant. 

This gives the workman an incentive to work and save his 
money. Many of the inhabitants have paid for their homes in 
full. In this way the people take a personal pride in their homes 
and town and soon become prosperous individuals. 

The people are coming rapidly out of the deplorable state in 
which they formerly lived in the ^'Slums'* of the large cities, 
and the rising generation shows much advancement towards a 
higher plane of life both mentally and physically. They are apt 
students of advanced American ideas, and are fast becoming 




DESIQNINO AND CUTTING DEPARTiMENT 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




CHILDREN'S TAILORINQ DEPARTMENT (1st floor) 

thoroughly Americanized, making- very desirable, self-respecting 
citizens. 

The original introduction of factories was necessitated by 
local demands. A surplus of farm hands during the winter 
months, looked for employment ; the number of people who 
were employed in the preparation of the farms and farm houses 
were loathe to return to the city and look for work, and the 
large number of people who were constantly seeking a perma- 
nent home, made it imperative that commercial life should be 
encouraged. 

A young man opened a blacksmith shop in 1892, which' 
speedily grew into a machine shop, where a number of young 
men learned the trade and are now employed as competent 
machinists. A needle industry was next started, giving employ- 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



ment to many. Basket making and a pocketbook factory soon 
followed. Now there are two machine shops; three knittingf 
mills ; a hat factory and a large clothing factory. 

A large number of the working people are expert tailors 
and are employed in the clothing factory, which is one of the 
largest of its kind in the country. It occupies a large fire-proof, 
brick building, (over 70,000 square feet of floor space). This 
factory is of special interest, as it gives steady employment to a 
large number of people, and has done much to improve their 
condition as well as advancing the fight against the ^'sweat- 
shop ** with all its horrors ; its unsanitary and disease-spreading 
surroundings. 

This factory is operated by THE WOODBINE CHIL- 
DREN'S CLOTHING CO., with selling offices in all of the 




CHILDREN'S TAILORINQ DEPARTMENT (2nd floor) 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




YOUNG MEN'S TAILORING DEPARTMENT 

principal cities. The building- is modern in every particular, it 
is large and airy, with many windows on both sides, affording 
an abundance of sunlight and pure air. 

This plant is equipped with every known up-to-date appli- 
ance for the turning out of high-class children's and young mens 
clothing in many grades. Electricity is used entirely for power, 
and the building is thoroughly heated by steam. 

The output of THE WOODBINE CHILDREN'S 
CLOTHING CO., alone, is at the rate of J 500 suits of clothes 
per day, and when one considers that two or three pieces make 
up each suit, they can form some idea as to the size and com- 
pleteness of the plant. 

One is impressed by the healthy appearance of the people 
employed in the clothing factory, instead of the pinched, hag- 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 

gfard, colorless faces that are usually seen among the *' sweat- 
shop '^ working people. Here are a lot of healthy^ bright-eyed 
people, with ruddy cheeks that show plainly how their improved 
environments have made their life worth the living. 

An idea of the rapid growth of this enterprise can be had 
from the fact that when the clothing factory was started, four 
year ago, they employed ninety people ; six months later their 
payroll had increased to J 50, and today six hundred souls find 
pleasant and profitable employment here; employment that it 
would be impossible for them to duplicate anywhere else. No 
labor troubles or hard times mar the tranquility of their life, but 
they have steady work under the most advantageous conditions. 

In addition to the many other advantages derived from all 
these improved conditions, they have rent, light, heat and power 




PRESSING DEPARTMENT 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




FINAL INSPECTION DEPARTMENT 

free of cost, as an incentive for them to keep the people em- 
ployed. This is a big: item, it reduces their running expenses far 
below the minimum of any of their competitors, and enables 
them to produce clothing at a price that cannot be met by any 
other house. 

Here Ready Made Clothing is made by a system in which 
the various parts are made by certain sets of workmen. One 
set will work on pockets ; one set on collars ; one set on sleeves ; 
one set on arm holes ; one set on finishing ; one set on button- 
holes ; one set sewing on buttons ; one set on pressing the various 
parts of the garment, etc., etc., in all there are 30 different sets of 
workmen handling each suit. By this method each person 
becomes an expert in his particular part, and as this is the only 
place here where the tailoring inhabitants can find employment, it 
necessarily follows that their continual employment at one place 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



enables the factory to produce a line of clothing: of a far better qual- 
ity and more uniform than can be turned out in any other way. 
They save the contractor's profit, as they handle the entire 
proposition themselves, making them the direct employers of 
the people who do the work. All work is paid for by "piece 
work/' which eliminates much dissatisfaction among employees. 

Here they produce sanitary clothing, in a large, well-lighted, 
well-ventilated factory, that stands right out in the open coun- 
try; made by people who live under the most enjoyable sur- 
roundings, and who are experts in the business. 

Their product is subjected to a most rigid inspection from 
start to finish, which safeguards the high standard of their 
work. The cloth is carefully examined and sponged before 
going to the cutting department, and each piece of work is 




GENERAL STOCK DEPARTMENT 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




RECEIVI^G AND SHIPPING DEPARTMENT 

watched and must pass a critical examination before being put 
into stock, thus insuring^ at all times, the highest type of work 
it is possible to produce. 

They specialize in CHILDREN'S and YOUNG MEN'S 
CLOTHING. The Children's tine range in age from 6 to 17 
years. The line includes ** Double Breasted/' '^ Knickerbockers,'' 
Suits, ''Reefers," ''Top" and "Rain Coats." The Young Mens 
line range in ape from 14 to 22 years, size 30 to 38. The line 
includes Suits, Overcoats, " Rain " and " Top " Coats. Every 
garment is right in every particular. The whole line has that 
"tailored" finish so much desired and so generally absent in 
ready-made clothing. The wide range in styles, fabrics and 
prices enables them to successfully cater to all classes of trade. 

The quality of the clothing produced here is far above any 
similar line and defies competition. Prices range, on the Chil- 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 




JOSEPH SCHOENEMAN 




J. SALSBURQ 



JOSEPH ROBINOWITZ 



The Woodbine Children's Clothing Co. is composed of 
above gentlemen. 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



OUR SELLING FORCE 




The above salesmen travel the districts indicated below : 

I. F. R. Walbrum, Oregon. Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming. 



Carl F. Wuerthner, Michigan. 

Penrose T. Schoeneman, Ohio. 

Fred. Wachenheim, Arkansas, Lou- 
isiana, Oklahoma, Texas. 

Chas. KaTZ, Pennsylvania, Indiana, 
Michigan. 



E. Kerngood, Baltimore, Md., and 

Washington, D. C. 
Arthur SalSburg, Pennsylvania. 
Harry Wallbrum, Illinois, Iowa_ 

Missouri. 
Bert D. Gillette, Indiana, Michigan. 



OUR SELLING FORCE 




17 



The above salesmen travel the districts indicated below : 

lo. Beni. Salsburg, Pennsylvania, West 15. Walter S. Elfelt. Kansas, Mis- 



Virginia 

11. Julian K. Solmonson, California, 

Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, 
Colorado. 

12. Moe Mirbach, New England States. 

13. Harry Weinberg, New York State. 

14. Morris Koch, Kentucky, Tennessee. 



souri, Nebraska. 

16. G. C. Elfe, Georgia, Alabama, 

Florida. 

17. Felix B. Conheim, Minnesota, Wis- 

consin. 

18. F. L. Castex, North and South Caro- 

lina. 



APR I mo 



HISTORY OF THE WOODBINE COLONY 



dren's line, from $J.OO to $4.50, and on the Young: Men^s line^ 
from $4.50 to $9.00. Every discriminatingf buyer who sees the 
line is at once struck by the unusual value it offers. 

The personnel of the WOODBINE CHILDREN'S 
CLOTHING CO. is made up of men who have had years of 
experience in the clothing; business in all its branches ; they are 
successful clothing men, and know what g:ood clothing is and 
how it should be made; they are ever alert to improve the qual- 
ity of their output, both as to material and workmanship ; they 
are thus well equipped for the production of an unusually attrac- 
tive line. 

The selling force is made up of men of integrity and ability, 
whose experience is of great assistance to many merchants, in 
the selection of their lines. 

To those who carry the WOODBINE CHILDREN'S 
CLOTHING COMPANY'S line, no word from them is nec- 
essary to convince that they are handling the most satisfactory 
and profitable line of clothing it is possible to obtain. To those 
who do not handle the line, they offer every opportunity for 
them to see and become familiar with it, feeling sure that a mere 
casual inspection will at once convince them of the truth of these 
statements. 

While the philanthropic side of the question is not to be lost 
sight of, but should appeal to every human being, in that the 
enterprise at Woodbine stands for the uplift of a down-trodden 
humanity, they are not asking for trade on that basis, but 
simply for the sound business reason that the WOODBINE 
CHILDREN'S CLOTHING CO. produces better clothing 
and offers more real value than any other similar line. 

THE WOODBINE CHILDREN'S CLOTHING CO. 

Main Office, S. W. COR. SIXTH AND ARCH STS. 
PHILADELPHIA, PENNA. 



NEW YORK CITY 
Broadway Central Hotel 

ST. LOUIS, MO. 
Silk Exchange Building 



SELLING OFFICES: 

BALTIMORE 

Piper Building 

TOLEDO, OHIO 

Smith & Baker Building 



CHICAGO 
Medinah Building 

LOUISVILLE, KY. 
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 



HISTORY OF THE 



WOODBINE COLONY 



J 



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